Few weeks ago, I wrote about new music albums from popular artists being released this season. This time, let's check how they performed during early days or weeks of release. Yes, music albums are not selling as huge as it is ten to twenty years ago. It is very rare and unusual when an artist sells a million in just one week in United States. Of course, that number is possible like how K-Pop artists are performing including BTS, NCT, etc. However, their million sales are from Korean sales in majority.
So let's check how albums from recent weeks until now has performed.
Coldplay
Coldplay has already released the album "Music of the Spheres". Admittedly, the band isn't selling as huge like during their peak. "Ghost Stories" may have been the start of declining sales but it is still a number one record in the US. "A Head Full of Dreams" still went 4x platinum in UK, and platinum in the US, then "Everyday Life" was released. The latter album only peaked at number 7 in the US, number 1 in UK but is yet to go platinum in their hometown.
With regards to "Music of the Spheres", at least peaked higher in Billboard 200 than "Everyday Life" but its sales isn't as huge as the band's albums in 2000s and early 2010s. Their collaboration with BTS even helped with the album's sales. "My Universe" went to number 1 in Billboard Hot 100. In their hometown, UK, it became their 9th number 1 studio albums, and had a massive sales of more than 100k. That amount is considered huge already based on today's sales standard. However, the album fell off the top 10 after 5 weeks. Let's see of it will still go up.
Ed Sheeran
There's so much anticipation on the new album of Ed Sheeran "=" (Equals). However, the album received more negative reviews. It might be the reason of lower sales compared to his previous albums. The album has sold over 130k in the UK on its first week. That may be higher from his collaborative work "No. 6 Collaborations Project" but lower than the first day sales of "รท", which has sold more than 200k in just a day. Indeed a decline in sales for a superstar like Ed Sheeran. While in US, the album has sold more than 110k (still a chart topper), which is lower than "Collaborations.
ABBA
When some bands reunite, sales may not be as huge as during their peak. I actually didn't expect the new album of ABBA will sell big. It debuted at number 1 in UK Charts with sales of more than 200k in a week. That's bigger than Ed Sheeran's "=". In fact, there are sales estimates of more 700k sold worldwide on its debut week. Even in the US, with smaller fanbase, the group debuted at number 2, their highest peaking album there.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has recently released "Red (Taylor's Version)", the re-recorded version of "Red" album. The album became huge on its first week that it's currently number 1 in several countries. It sold more than 600k copies in the US on its first week, and it became her 10th number 1 album in the country. In UK, it also debuted at number one this week.
Silk Sonic
Silk Sonic is comprised of superstar Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. Being a huge star, Bruno Mars is expected to carry the album "An Evening with Silk Sonic". But it was being released alongside "Red (Taylor's Version)" so it failed to reach number 1. It still managed a number 2 debut on Billboard 200. It is currently at number 9 in UK Charts.
Adele
Adele's comeback singles has been leading the singles charts for more than a month. Just recently, her new album "30" was released. Despite her previous album selling more than 3 million copies in just a week in the US, and around 5 million globally, "30" is not expected to sell as huge. Recent projection is around 800k sales in the US, which is huge but far from the sales of "25". It already sold more than 160k on its midweek sales in UK, but also way below than its predecessor, but expected to surpass the first week sales of ABBA's "Voyage".
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